This application claims priority to an application entitled xe2x80x9cMethod for Displaying Background Image in Mobile Telephonexe2x80x9d filed in the Korean Industrial Property Office on Dec. 17, 1998 and assigned Serial No. 98-55886, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a mobile communication terminal, and in particular, to a method for displaying a background image on a mobile telephone.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the increased popularization of mobile telephones, there are increasing demands for various convenient functions. For example, to increase its utility, a mobile telephone may have a phone book function, a short message service (SMS) function and a biorhythm service function.
As a further example, when desired, a background image may be formed on a display window of the mobile telephone so that the background image appears when the display window is back-lighted. Conventionally, the background image is formed by sticking a transparent-sticker type photograph to a LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) surface of the display window. This provides a permanent and unchangeable background to the LCD, possibly to the annoyance of the user. Furthermore, the sticker may damage the LCD. Finally, a dark portion of the background image may make a character message on the display window invisible.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved method for downloading background images from a computer and displaying a selected one of the downloaded background images on a display in a mobile telephone.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a method for displaying a background image in a mobile telephone comprises the steps of downloading background images from a computer and storing the downloaded background images in a memory; upon receipt of a background image select request, displaying in sequence the stored background images; and setting, when one of the background images is selected, the selected background image as a background image to be displayed.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a method for displaying a background image in a mobile telephone which downloads background images from a computer, stores the downloaded background images in a memory, and displays a selected one of the stored background images, the method comprises the steps of displaying the selected image for a predetermined time, in a background image display request condition; determining whether an urgent character message display condition has occurred while the background image is displayed; upon detection of the urgent character message display condition, stopping the display of the background image and displaying the urgent character message; determining whether a normal character message display condition has occurred while the background image is displayed; and upon detection of a normal character message display condition, continuing to display the background image, and after expiration of a predetermined time, displaying the normal character message.